Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that he will leave the club after Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa, ending a 10-year spell in charge at the Etihad Stadium.
The Spanish coach said his decision was influenced by exhaustion and the need for a new challenge, bringing an end to one of the most successful managerial eras in the club’s history.
Over the past decade, Guardiola led Manchester City to 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first UEFA Champions League victory, establishing a period of sustained dominance in English and European football.
Speaking during a pre-match press conference on Friday, he said the club requires fresh leadership and renewed energy to continue progressing.
“I think the club needs a new manager, new energy with these incredible players that we have right now, and you start to write another chapter,” he said.
Guardiola also admitted that the demands of top-level management had taken a toll on him, making it difficult to maintain the required intensity.
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“I feel I will not have the energy that is required, every three days, the expectations to fight for the titles, with being in front of the players,” he explained.
Although he is expected to maintain a role within the City Football Group as a global ambassador, Guardiola said he plans to step away from coaching for some time.
“I will not train for a while,” he stated.
Reflecting on his long coaching career across Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, the 55-year-old highlighted the relentless schedule he has faced for nearly two decades.
“It’s not 10 years. I’ve been, except for a year in New York, I’ve been 17, 18 years, every three days, three days, three days,” he said.
“I need to breathe a little bit and relax. I’ll be a while, that is my feeling right now.”
Guardiola leaves Manchester City widely regarded as the most successful manager in the club’s history, having transformed the team into a dominant force in both English and European football.